Anthony Pompliano is the Founder & CEO of Professional Capital Management. Entrepreneur, investor, and lifelong learner. Bucknell University in Pennsylvania where he played football. He was a Sergeant in the US Army for six years. Fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom vet (2008-2009). The Distinguished Leader Graduate of the Warrior Leader Course and a Commandant’s List Graduate of Infantry Leadership School. He worked at Facebook from 2014-2015. Led the Growth Team for Facebook Pages. Helped launch numerous products like AMBER Alerts and Voter Registration, while advising the executive team on their social strategy.

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The Learning Leader Show

  • Luck is not real – “Luck is something we conjure in our minds to grapple with the consequences of whatever life may throw our way. Luck is a physiological concept. It’s determined by how we view a situation. Academic studies show that you can become luckier simply by telling yourself that you are lucky.” Pessimists sound smart, but optimists change the world. Believe in yourself. Have agency. Strive to make something happen.
    • “Luck is the flip side of risk. They are mirrored cousins, driven by the same thing: You are one person in a 7 billion player game, and the accidental impact of other people’s actions can be more consequential than your own.” – Morgan Housel
    • Mindset and Perspective: Luck Is Not Real: Luck is a psychological concept shaped by your perspective. By choosing to see situations positively, you regain control and agency over your life and outcomes. This optimistic mindset can also influence your surroundings and relationships positively.
  • Surround yourself with compounders and fire your boring friends– Being around other ambitious people who are willing to push you will make you better. Strike the balance between being loyal to longtime friends, and doing anything for them, but spending the bulk of your time around people who will push your edges and make you think bigger.
    • Fire your Boring Friends – “If you are optimizing for living an extraordinary” life, you have to fire all the boring friends and find people living extraordinary lives.”
  • You don’t get what you don’t ask for. I love the story of Anthony meeting his future wife, Polina, for coffee and asking for the next date for that same night. The answer is NO if you don’t ask. It’s worth the potential rejection because the upside is so great. In this case, they got married and have two children. The people who sustain excellence are not afraid to make the ask.
  • Get on the plane — When in doubt, go see them in person.
    • Action-Oriented – Get on the Plane. Sometimes, personal interaction is irreplaceable in making meaningful connections and conveying seriousness. Physical presence can often lead to better results in business and personal relationships.
  • “Experience is a liability when it comes to setting expectations.” Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. Not knowing that something is supposed to be hard can be useful.
  • The Power of Belief and Positive Influence – Genuine Belief in Others: Demonstrating belief in others can significantly raise their expectations and performance. This principle applies both in parenting and in leading a business team.
  • Respect other people’s time – “When I was playing football in college one of our coaches used to say, “5 minutes early is on time and on time is late.” By respecting other people’s time they will realize you are a serious person.
    • Punctuality and Discipline: Being Early vs. Being On Time: Emphasizing the importance of punctuality not only shows respect for others’ time but also instills a sense of discipline. This habit can lead to greater productivity and a more structured approach to tasks.
  • Childhood is not a crutch — Don’t have a victim mindset to use childhood as a crutch for poor behavior. “It’s easy to use your childhood as a crutch instead of seeing it as a chisel.” – Cameron Hanes
    • Using Childhood as a Chisel, Not a Crutch: Your past, no matter how challenging, can be used as a tool for growth and development. High-agency individuals use their difficult experiences as motivation rather than an excuse for poor behavior or failure.
  • Simplicity signals mastery — Tim Urban is the master at this. As a writer and/or teacher, your writing should make the reader feel smarter, not dumber. Using big complicated words and sentences shows that you don’t know what you’re talking about.
    • Clear Communication: The ability to explain complex ideas simply is a sign of true understanding and mastery. This skill is crucial for effective leadership and for making impactful decisions without overcomplicating situations.
  • The world seems to separate itself into two groups – the people who never stop learning and everyone else.
  • Document Good Ideas – Ideas run the world. “I created a system that works well for me. I broke everything down into four areas where I could find a good idea. Books, social media, conversations, and audio/video content.
  • Advice: “Seek risk. What is the riskiest thing you can do? The greatest returns are on the other side of risk. Run towards the risk.”
    • Pursue Risk: Seeking out and embracing risk can lead to the greatest returns. Rather than avoiding volatility, running towards it can distinguish you from others and provide unique opportunities for success.
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Resources:

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 216: Jim Collins — How To Go From Good To Great

Episode #300: AJ & Keith Hawk – How To Instill Work Ethic & Curiosity In Your Children

Episode #303:  General Stanley McChrystal – The New Definition Of Leadership

Time Stamps

01:46 The Importance of Punctuality

03:55 Balancing College and Military Life

07:01 Deployment and Growing Up Fast

09:29 Letters to My Children: Life Lessons

10:02 The Concept of Luck

14:58 Surrounding Yourself with Compounders

26:19 Think Bigger: A CEO’s Perspective

27:10 The Liability of Experience

28:30 Ignorance is Bliss: Lessons from 2008

29:45 Fear: The Silent Killer

30:46 Raising Resilient Kids

35:18 Get on the Plane: The Power of In-Person Meetings

38:26 The Importance of Asking

41:47 Childhood: Crutch or Chisel?

45:51 Simplicity Signals Mastery

51:23 Seek Risk: Career Advice for Graduates

53:19 Conclusion and Final Thoughts